Assistant

Known for being a strategic, thoughtful, and business-minded attorney, Steve counsels corporations with respect to complex business, product liability, construction and real property litigation. He is licensed in North and South Carolina and has extensive experience in both the state and federal Courts in all stages of litigation. Steve also represents clients in a variety of administrative actions with various state agencies.

Steve’s tenacity, ability to be aggressive, and focus on the effective evaluation of a case are the crux of his success in handling a broad range of litigation matters. These matters include, defending large manufacturers against class action suits, acting as national coordinating counsel managing product liability cases, successfully representing a large manufacturer in a multimillion dollar vendor/supplier dispute, representing major corporations with ongoing state licensing disputes, and acting as regional counsel handling all litigation needs for a large development corporation. Steve never forgets that it is the business goals of his clients that are front and center of all strategic planning and his approach to litigation is to achieve those goals in the most effective and efficient manner possible.

Managing Partner for the Charlotte office, Steve is also a member of the Firm-wide Management Committee. Prior to these roles, Steve served as the Chair of the Firm-wide Finance Committee.

In addition to practicing law, Steve is an active Rotarian and currently serves on the Executive Board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation for Central and Western North Carolina. He also chaired the Mecklenburg County Civil Superior Courts Committee that re-wrote the 26th Judicial District Superior Court Division Civil Rules. Steve is a graduate of the FBI Citizen's Academy.

Representative Matters

Represents an international manufacturer of building products as Regional Counsel defending class action product liability cases.

Represents an international manufacturer of appliances as Regional Counsel defending onslaught product liability attacks from the Plaintiff’s bar and associated consolidated actions in federal court.

Acted as National Coordinating Counsel for a manufacturer in defending onslaught product liability cases being brought throughout the United States on product specific lines.

Represents many national corporations in high end licensing disputes with the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Ohio.

Successfully defended a manufacturer in a product liability action where the damages sought exceeded $20 million.

Successfully represented a developer in obtaining a Judgment for half of a million dollars in a breach of contract suit.

Successfully represented a manufacturer in a data theft suit, obtaining $4 million in disputed coverage under its insuring policy.

Successfully resolved a multimillion vendor supplier dispute on favorable terms for a large manufacturer.

Honors

AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

International Association of Defense Counsel

Best Lawyers in America, 2013 - 2019

North Carolina Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers magazine, 2012 - 2018

North Carolina Legal Elite by Business North Carolina magazine, 2014

Top Ranked U.S. Executive, National Council of American Executives, 2014

Top Rated Commercial Litigation Lawyer, Martindale-Hubbell, 2012

North Carolina Top Rated Lawyer, 2012

Leaders in the Law, North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, 2011

Cambridge Who’s Who 2010

North Carolina Rising Star by Super Lawyers magazine, 2009 and 2010

North Carolina Law Impact Leader, Business Leader, North Carolina Legal Guide, 2009